Rationality, preferences, and emotions with biological constraints: it all starts from our senses
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2024-03
Publication Type
Review Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
Citations
Altmetric
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Abstract
Is the role of our sensory systems to represent the physical world as accurately as possible? If so, are our preferences and emotions, often deemed irrational, decoupled from these 'ground-truth' sensory experiences? We show why the answer to both questions is 'no'. Brain function is metabolically costly, and the brain loses some fraction of the information that it encodes and transmits. Therefore, if brains maximize objective functions that increase the fitness of their species, they should adapt to the objective-maximizing rules of the environment at the earliest stages of sensory processing. Consequently, observed 'irrationalities', preferences, and emotions stem from the necessity for our early sensory systems to adapt and process information while considering the metabolic costs and internal states of the organism.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
28 (3)
Pages / Article No.
264 - 277
Publisher
Cell Press
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
efficient coding; decision making; attention; information theory; economics; interoception
Organisational unit
09589 - Burdakov, Denis / Burdakov, Denis
09589 - Burdakov, Denis / Burdakov, Denis
Notes
Funding
758604 - Enhancing brain function and cognition via artificial entrainment of neural oscillations (EC)